I think the general sentiment here echos my feelings: just go and we'll find a way to go again with kids. I'm pretty sure I'll end up pulling any kids out of public education for a least a year anyway. I learned a lot more just spending time with my parents as a kid than I did in school, at least during elementary. Swift Drift, my parents were always planning to have kids (they wanted 6, ended up with 3) but still took time to establish a life and hobbies before we were born. I'm only realizing the wisdom of that now.

Worst case, we'll just end up doing shorter sailing vacations with kids on a bigger, slower boat than we need for that kind of sailing.

Minnewaska, since we're a few years into less than satisfying but sufficiently well paid careers, we know we can pull off either 3 years now or 2-3 years later with kids. I'll involve liquidating just about everything we own (except the Hobie Tiger, I'm told we own that for life ). It's the finances that make it potentially an either-or decision. I think we'd have a hard time topping up the cruising kitty sufficiently while raising 2 kids until they're roughly school age. I'd trust my gut but it's pretty irresponsible. It wants to totally ignore the difference between having kids at 29 vs 35 and just doesn't care about money at all.

Smackdaddy, re: fertility & boating, it's my understanding that hormone-based contraceptives aren't effective if you feel them to the fishes, hence the ease of accidentally adding to a cruising crew. I've never been seasick but I'd rather not experience it for the first time along with morning sickness. And beer-less cruising just isn't right.

If we go now, maybe my in-laws won't flip out so badly when we go with kids.